Talking Points....
Connect Fellowship 10/28/2025
This week’s group discussion will focus on the first two parts of Pastor Doug’s captivating series, "Take Heart in a Season of Fear."
I. Part 1
A. Fear Not.
1. Psalm 27:1-8, 13&14 - The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
2. The most repeated phrase in the Bible is, "Fear Not."
3. Why do you think that we are told so often to fear not?
B. Jesus knows how impactful fear can be physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
1. 2 Timothy 1:7, 14 - For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
2. Have you ever been impacted by fear? What did it do to you?
C. A moment of fear, versus a spirit of fear.
1. The difference between a moment of fear and a spirit of fear, is that a spirit of fear will stick its claws in you, to keep you there.
2. Fear is faith in reverse.
3. Worry is worship in reverse.
4. Panic is peace in reverse.
5. Horror is hope in reverse.
6. When you experience a moment of fear, what do you do to keep it from becoming a season of fear?
D. Sometimes we need to take our thoughts and emotions prisoner to align them with God.
1. The enemy wants to keep the bad stuff in your heart from getting out, and wants to keep the good stuff of God from getting in.
2. What ways have you found to take your thoughts and emotions prisoner in order to align them with God?
E. You get to choose your stronghold.
1. Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2. How has having the correct stronghold helped you in a season of fear?
F. There are Godly, positive strongholds that will sustain you.
1. The stronghold is the fortress of your life.
2. A stronghold is where you go when things get scary or overwhelming.
3. Psalm 18:2 - The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
4. How have you helped others to find a Godly stronghold when they are suffering?
G. We need to develop patterns that instantly kick in, to remind us which way to turn when stress and fear show up.
1. 2 Chronicles 20:3 - And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
2. What patterns do you have that have been beneficial in turning away from stress and fear?
H. Fear is normal.
1. When you are facing an attack of the enemy, and you choose in your fear to seek the Lord, and that becomes your first response, you will confuse the enemy.
2. How do you think it makes God feel when you choose Him over fear?
I. We need to not put a period, where God put a comma.
1. Just because you feel something, doesn't mean you have to give in to that feeling.
2. Share a time when you felt fear, but you didn't give in to it, and how you felt because of your choices.
II. Part 2
A. You get to choose your story.
1. Psalm 27:2&3 - When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
2. David proclaims what will happen.
3. He is choosing how he will react to a fearful situation.
4. How has choosing how you will respond to fear ahead of time helped you in a fearful situation?
B. Your situation doesn't have to be your story.
1. Psalm 27:13 - I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
2. Have you ever let your situation become your story? What things did you do to change that?
This week’s group discussion will focus on the first two parts of Pastor Doug’s captivating series, "Take Heart in a Season of Fear."
I. Part 1
A. Fear Not.
1. Psalm 27:1-8, 13&14 - The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
2. The most repeated phrase in the Bible is, "Fear Not."
3. Why do you think that we are told so often to fear not?
B. Jesus knows how impactful fear can be physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
1. 2 Timothy 1:7, 14 - For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
2. Have you ever been impacted by fear? What did it do to you?
C. A moment of fear, versus a spirit of fear.
1. The difference between a moment of fear and a spirit of fear, is that a spirit of fear will stick its claws in you, to keep you there.
2. Fear is faith in reverse.
3. Worry is worship in reverse.
4. Panic is peace in reverse.
5. Horror is hope in reverse.
6. When you experience a moment of fear, what do you do to keep it from becoming a season of fear?
D. Sometimes we need to take our thoughts and emotions prisoner to align them with God.
1. The enemy wants to keep the bad stuff in your heart from getting out, and wants to keep the good stuff of God from getting in.
2. What ways have you found to take your thoughts and emotions prisoner in order to align them with God?
E. You get to choose your stronghold.
1. Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2. How has having the correct stronghold helped you in a season of fear?
F. There are Godly, positive strongholds that will sustain you.
1. The stronghold is the fortress of your life.
2. A stronghold is where you go when things get scary or overwhelming.
3. Psalm 18:2 - The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
4. How have you helped others to find a Godly stronghold when they are suffering?
G. We need to develop patterns that instantly kick in, to remind us which way to turn when stress and fear show up.
1. 2 Chronicles 20:3 - And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
2. What patterns do you have that have been beneficial in turning away from stress and fear?
H. Fear is normal.
1. When you are facing an attack of the enemy, and you choose in your fear to seek the Lord, and that becomes your first response, you will confuse the enemy.
2. How do you think it makes God feel when you choose Him over fear?
I. We need to not put a period, where God put a comma.
1. Just because you feel something, doesn't mean you have to give in to that feeling.
2. Share a time when you felt fear, but you didn't give in to it, and how you felt because of your choices.
II. Part 2
A. You get to choose your story.
1. Psalm 27:2&3 - When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
2. David proclaims what will happen.
3. He is choosing how he will react to a fearful situation.
4. How has choosing how you will respond to fear ahead of time helped you in a fearful situation?
B. Your situation doesn't have to be your story.
1. Psalm 27:13 - I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
2. Have you ever let your situation become your story? What things did you do to change that?